Foucault's Theory Research Articles

Ibn Mujahid's Canonical Legacy: Examining Sanad Authentication and Political Factors in the Standardization of Qirā’āt Sab’ah

This research delves into the study of qirā’āt, specifically examining variations in Qur'anic recitation within the modern context of Qur'anic studies. Academic literature has typically overlooked qirā’āt, tending to emphasize linguistic aspects of qira'at in general. However, recent scholarly discussions underscore the increasing significance of scrutinizing the authenticity of qirā’āt. The presence of uncertainties and disputes concerning the authenticity of qirā’āt, both within Western and Muslim scholarly circles, renders this subject exceptionally intriguing for investigation. Drawing upon Michel Foucault's theory of the archaeology of knowledge and Shahab Ahmad, this study endeavors to bridge the existing knowledge gap by tracing the historical development of the standardization and canonization of qirā’āt. Specifically, our research will shed light on the motivations and procedures employed by Ibn Mujahid in designating seven Imams as authoritative figures in the canonization of qirā’āt sab’ah. Furthermore, we strived to uncover the ways in which political factors exerted influence over the endeavor to 'canonize' qirā’āt in seven distinct variants. Our findings ultimately reveal that the success of Ibn Mujahid's codification and canonization of qirā’āt hinged not solely on the narrative of unifying Muslim perspectives on the diverse recitation variants but was also significantly shaped by underlying political considerations throughout the process. These discoveries offer fresh insights into comprehending the historical dynamics of qirā’āt al-Qur'an and underscore the crucial importance of considering the political backdrop in understanding religious traditions.

German Theoryals Geographie im Konjunktiv, oder: „Was nie geschrieben wurde, lesen“

Abstract. „German Theory“ is a theory that has not yet been written, but could have been. „Theory“ is here understood as a “territory of thought” that transcends the boundaries of its origins, and travels to other sites. „French Theory“, for example, is the label for the travel of French poststructuralism to Anglophone humanities. In this sense, „German Theory“ does not exist (yet), but as this paper will argue, it exists as a potentiality that has not (yet) actualized. To show this potential, this paper turns to the work of Friedrich A. Kittler. To illustrate why Kittler did not become a cornerstone of „German Theory“, and to discuss how it could have been, this paper proceeds in two steps: first, it traces the recent history of the reception of Foucault in German language geography and the humanities. This analysis shows that Kittler and German language geography morphed Foucault's discourse theory into two distinct thought styles – the „discourse school“ in German language geography into a „textual“ one; Kittler into a „materialist“ one. This incompatibility of thought styles, this paper asserts, obstructed the travel of Kittler to Anglophone geography, although Kittler's notion of „materiality of communication“ resonates with the „material turn“ in Anglophone geography. Nor did the Foucault of the „discourse school“ travel to Anglophone geography. Kittler's „German Foucault“ travelled to Anglophone media studies as „German School“, though. In the last part of the paper, I ask the question how Kittler's „German Foucault“ could have travelled to (anglophone) geography and what could have been gained theoretically through this travel.

Gender and Power Relations in Aisha Saeed’s Amal Unbound

This paper discusses the power relation and gender in the novel Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (2018). This study focuses on the four main characters, Amal, Abu, Jawad, and Baji, in which Abu, Amal ‘s father, has a relationship that puts her as a subordinate one as well as Jawad, who has the power from his economic aspect. The restriction experienced by a female character, Amal, became a gender issue regarding the oppression of women, which must be surrendered to certain power circumstances. This research explores the power relations between female and male characters and their effect on gender. This study uses a qualitative method and applies Michel Foucault's theory of power relations and the concept of gender. The results show that Amal’s resistance is echoed in the desire to destroy the power structure that put Jawad as the highest authority holder. Amal prioritizes resistance to free her choice in her gender identity, and power relations are obliged to change with the resistance. Power in this discourse installs itself and produces real material effects, which social power structure and the prescribed gender norms also affect the relationship between characters. Power relations exist as the main female character, Amal has a certain relationship with the other main male characters and another female character. The power comes from the relation then brings oppression toward women. Power is compiled, established, and realized through certain knowledge and discourse. In addition, Amal’s appearance, which represents her gender identity, also indicates resistance toward the oppression she experienced. To conclude, subordination and oppression toward women are undeniable, as men are socially and culturally designed to be powerful. Meanwhile, women are powerless.

EFFECTIVE HISTORY IN THE NOVELS TRILOGY OF RARA MENDUT BY Y.B. MANGUNWIJAYA: A GENEALOGICAL STUDY OF MICHEL FOUCAULT

Trilogy of Rara Mendut’s novels are focused on four things with a working method based on Michel Foucault's genealogical theory which examines past events that can be used to see the present. The results of the study include: 1) the parental care system for children shows that children must receive sufficient attention, affection, and wholehearted care for their mental development; 2) unlimited power has an impact on people's misery, many enemies, leading tends to be cruel, and brings destruction; 3) the nature of a person is influenced by environmental factors; and 4) the essence of serving in real life is not one's superiors or institutions but to the people, especially those who are still suffering.

Ghettoising the Elite: Analysing Class Divide and Social Status in DHA YouTube Adverts

In growing consumerist societies, advertising is one of the strongest tools the postmodern age has produced for controlling and manipulating the masses. This study aims at revealing the ideologies embedded in a purposively-selected sample of two YouTube adverts of the Defence Housing Authority in Multan and Bahawalpur. Employing as groundwork Foucault's theory of discourse contributing to social change and actively interpellating its consumer, this study conducts a multimodal critical discourse analysis of the selected ads. The textual and visual analysis showed that the selected adverts are fraught with cultural and social ideologies prevalent in South Punjab and Pakistan. By using various semiotic resources, the adverts purposely perpetuate a traditional patriarchal family structure, a system of class division and status privilege by excluding people from the lower classes, naturalising an elitist narrative, and associating happiness with wealth and riches. By putting forth the idealised and glamorised images of wealth, they instil in the audience an urge to achieve such a life. In doing so, the adverts construct their potential customers and contribute to maintaining the status-quo.

Ghettoising the Elite: Analysing Class Divide and Social Status in DHA YouTube Adverts

In growing consumerist societies, advertising is one of the strongest tools the postmodern age has produced for controlling and manipulating the masses. This study aims at revealing the ideologies embedded in a purposively-selected sample of two YouTube adverts of the Defence Housing Authority in Multan and Bahawalpur. Employing as groundwork Foucault's theory of discourse contributing to social change and actively interpellating its consumer, this study conducts a multimodal critical discourse analysis of the selected ads. The textual and visual analysis showed that the selected adverts are fraught with cultural and social ideologies prevalent in South Punjab and Pakistan. By using various semiotic resources, the adverts purposely perpetuate a traditional patriarchal family structure, a system of class division and status privilege by excluding people from the lower classes, naturalising an elitist narrative, and associating happiness with wealth and riches. By putting forth the idealised and glamorised images of wealth, they instil in the audience an urge to achieve such a life. In doing so, the adverts construct their potential customers and contribute to maintaining the status-quo.

I Am Because They Tell Me I Am: Mental Health and Performativity

This article discusses madness and its production, aiming to circumscribe Butler's performativity and Foucault's Theory of Discourse in the field of mental health. Madness has historically had different conceptions and social functions. In different contexts and cultures, care practices were created to heal, rescue and disalienate. All these practices built modes of subjectivation and ways of controlling what would become mental illness and psychopathology. But what is madness without medical-psychiatric discourse based on biological practices? How to understand madness from a critical epistemology based on the assumptions of applied human and social sciences? Thus, this article has as its methodology a bibliographical review research, having as main references the post-structuralist philosophy and the sociology of health, rescuing the history of madness and its conceptions: critical and tragic, based on Foucault's theory in dialogue with authors classics of the sociology of health. It is also observed how practices of medicalization of madness were systematized in Brazil, with the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) having the principle of universality and equity. With this, it was possible to observe and conclude how the language system and performativity build dissident subjectivities and produce mental patients, insofar as language produces subjects within a pre-established norm, dictating the molds of normal and pathological. The criticism carried out is not just to remove the logic of the biological discourse, but to build epistemologies that find the subject of experience and transform him into a subject of self-knowledge.

A Critical Analysis of Urban Development Using the Application of Genealogy over Metropolitan City of Mashhad Iran

The purpose of this research is to explain how and why to use the genealogy approach in order to understand the evolution of the role of cities over time with special emphasis on the city of Mashhad. "The role of the city" and its developments can be analyzed with different approaches such as the economic approach or the urban geography approach. But in this research, Foucault's genealogy was used, and the city and its role were investigated under the influence of the power of governance and its mutual relations with space and knowledge. The basic questions are: Regardless of the initial formation and the geographical and political background of the city of Mashhad, what is the dominant role of this city now? How have these roles been formed over time and what discourses have been effective in creating these roles? Does this city have new power and capacity for development? Based on Foucault's theory of genealogy, the analysis of the development process of urban roles can be done using power-related tools and knowledge products. Based on this, the dominant role of cities has been formed during historical periods and between historical breaks, and new spatial links of manifestations of power and knowledge have been created in the urban space. The urban space of Mashhad and its historical, physical and social developments have been formed under the influence of an interconnected network of knowledge and power.

Comparing Wide Sargasso Sea and Jane Eyre in Foucault's Perspective to Interpret "The Madwoman in the Attic"

Charlotte Bronte portrayed a marginal character in Jane Eyre, Bertha Mason, the madwoman in the attic. Many readers thought she was insane, ugly, and silent at the same time. She emerges from the attic later to recount her forgotten background in Wide Sargasso Sea when Jane Rhys investigates her family history. Whether it is the postmodern writing style or the psychological exploration of the heroine in the novel, it has the artistic research value of various interpretations. The study of Wide Sargasso Sea and Jane Eyre mainly focuses on postcolonial discourse and identity discourse. It is rare to analyze Bertha from the perspective of Foucault's discourse power theory. This essay interprets Bertha and Antoinette's characterizations in terms of the interrelationships of discourse, power, and knowledge based on Foucault's theory of discursive power. It examines the lack of women's discourse and its reconstruction, broadens the viewpoints of Wide Sargasso Sea and Jane Eyre, and deepens our comprehension of The Madwoman in the Attic.

Female-Oriented Online Literature in China: Gender Reconstruction, the Internet and Consumption

With elements of romance and entertainment, Chinese female-oriented online literature has a considerable readership and has attracted substantial social attention in recent years through film and television adaptations. Taking female-oriented original online literature as the study object, this paper analyses the gender reconstruction and the influence of the internet and commercialization therein. Foucault's theory of power is cited and the analysis is multidimensional and incorporates a specific social context. This paper finds that the awakening of female consciousness is accompanied by a gradual dismantling of gender stereotypes, but that the internet and commercialization hinders gender reconfiguration and placed female subjectivity in imperceptible danger.

Power Relation Between Katniss Everdeen and President Snow in The Hunger Games Trilogy

This paper aims to find out about the dynamic of the power relation between Katniss Everdeen and President Snow from The Hunger Games trilogy, and how the power relation reflects domination and resistance. For the analysis, this paper applies Foucault's theory of power relations. The discussion concludes that the power relation between Katniss and President Snow is formed through the distribution of power that makes them subjects who can exercise power, and in the process, leads them to create a power relation where they complement each other’s power. A productive network is then formed as they work out the power relation with objectives and rationalization to exercise their power throughout the trilogy. Furthermore, the domination and resistance are reflected in the power relation through the use of those two effects of power as strategies by President Snow and Katniss respectively. Resulting in interchanging responses of domination and resistance that affect a series of events in the story.

Terrorism - A Concept Under Construction: The Use of the Term in Mexican Congressional Debates in the First Half of the XX Century

Abstract The paper focuses on the perceptions of “terrorism” that Mexican politicians developed in the initial decades of the 20th century, and which definitions did emerge in the Congressional debates. The aim is to assess which events were crucial in shaping an official narrative of the phenomenon, and, in doing so, it will apply the Foucaultian theory, looking at the issue of discontinuity, which provides an analytical key to assess the whens and whys for the emergence of a State-centered discourse on terrorism.

THE PORTRAIT OF DYSTOPIA SOCIETY IN FLAWED NOVEL

This study looks at how control and resistance are portrayed in Cecelia Ahern's dystopian novel Flawed and how the main character reacts to it. The goal of this study is to examine the concepts of control and resistance as they are presented in the book Flawed. Michel Foucault's theory of power and knowledge was applied to this study. The descriptive qualitative approach was used to carry out this study. The researcher discovered sixteen data sets with resistance elements from Celestine as the main character and fourteen data sets with control aspects from the government. The research's conclusions demonstrate how the government exercises its authority and existence through various means of control, including prohibitions, surveillance, and retaliation against the Flawed (opponents). Contrary to this, Celestine's resistance as the major character demonstrates that she typically resists verbally rather than physically. Celestine chooses to rebel and resist this system of control, which inspires a resistance movement and gives hope to those who are suppressed. The resistance carried out by Celestine shows that the power and knowledge held by the government are not absolute.

공공의 여가공간을 통한 여가통치성 수행

In contemporary urban society, the number of leisure spaces created by the public is growing in policy. This poetic study investigates the public's intention to actively create leisure spaces from a socio-spatial standpoint. This paper proposes a new concept of “leisure governmentality” based on Foucault's theory of governmentality, and uses urban parks as an example of representative public leisure spaces. It was intended to confirm that it was manufactured as claimed. Foucault's own archaeological and genealogical methodologies were applied to the research method, and the research hypothesis that public leisure spaces are produced as a means of leisure governmentality was demonstrated through literature research on the history of Seoul's urban parks. As a result of the analysis, the purpose of production (leisure governmentality), discourse, and the form of urban park landscapes after the modern era are dependent on the political, economic, and sociocultural environments of each era. As a device of power, it is evident that it was designed to control the subject to be ruled. By expanding the socio-spatial horizon of leisure spaces, which had been insufficient in the field of leisure and tourism studies, this study serves as a reminder that public leisure spaces such as urban parks can be more than just functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces; they can also be spaces with a political purpose. This study is significant because it contributed to the expansion of the scope of leisure tourism by laying the groundwork for employing Foucault's theory of governmentality, which has been actively debated in numerous social science and urban research fields, as a theoretical framework in the field of leisure and tourism studies.

Analisis Kekuasaan dalam Interaksi Badut di Lampu Merah: Pendekatan Teori Kekuasaan Foucault

This study aims to analyze the power dynamics that occur in the interaction between a clown and a driver at a red light using Michel Foucault's power theory approach. Clowns at red lights are often objects of interest to motorists and pedestrians, but their role in public space is rarely examined from a power perspective.
 This study uses a qualitative research method with a case study approach to gain an in-depth understanding of the clown's interaction at the red light. Data was collected through participant observation, interviews with clowns, and content analysis from social media that describes these interactions. The results showed that clowns at red lights use various strategies to attract the attention of motorists, such as funny gestures, flashy costumes, and silly actions. However, behind the fun and joy shown by the clown, there is a hidden power structure. Through the use of humorous actions, clowns are able to change the dynamics of public space, divert the attention of motorists from existing traffic rules, and form alternative narratives about that space.
 This study also shows that the presence of a clown at a red light involves a complex power and knowledge relationship between the clown, the driver, and the general public. Clowns use their symbolic power to control people's perceptions and evaluations of public space, as well as to go beyond the rules and norms that apply. Using Foucault's theory of power, this study provides a new understanding of the clown's interaction at the red light as a form of resistance to existing power. This research also describes how clowns, as actors who are underestimated by many people, can utilize their power to shape and reconstruct meaning and experience in public space.

A Comprehensive Analysis of the Political Situation in Russia from the Perspectives of Thucydides, Max Weber, and Michel Foucault

With the current situation in Europe regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the political situation of Russia has generated high interest. The research topic of this paper is the political situation of Russia. To understand the current political situation, the historical situation of the Russian Federation must be explored first. Both historical and modern situations were explored from the three key aspects of authority, motive, and surveillance. Max Weber's theory on authority and domination was used to analyze the historical authorities within Russia leading up to the 1905 Revolution as well as in the 1917 Civil war and eventually the USSR. Thucydides' account of the Speech of the Athenians was used to explore the true motive behind Russia's various advancements in Europe. Lastly, surveillance throughout Russia's lengthy history was studied with references to Michel Foucault's theory of disciplinary power. The study found that throughout the history of the Russian Empire, ambition has been the main motivator behind its numerous advancements. Mass and extreme surveillance has also been a persistent trend in the nation as well as during the USSR. This may indicate that the modern political situation in Russia mirrors its past situations.

The Study of Female Anxiety in Hotel du Lac from the Perspective of Power Theory

The Hotel du Lac has long been a hub for literary research. However, less attention has been paid to the various sorts of female anxiety that appear in the novel. Therefore, this study employs Foucault's power theory to examine feminine anxiety in the book on the basis of literature research and detailed reading. Three distinct forms of anxiety in Hotel du Lac are covered in this essay. One is the stress experienced by married women. Mrs. Pusey and Monica struggled with reproductive issues and body attractiveness, catering to their husband's preferences and requirements. While the loneliness Edith's mother experienced between cultures contributed to her uneasiness in addition to her unhappy marriage. Jennifer's worry as a daughter and an unmarried lady is the second major anxiety in the novel. The last anxiety relates to Edith’s appearance, single status, and writing. However, the modest attire she insisted on, her desire for romantic love, and her insistence on making up her own stories were how she ultimately fought the male disciplinary power. According to the article's meticulous analysis of the various anxieties, the patriarchal society's power structure is found to be the main cause of women's discomfort. In order to overcome their identity concern, women are encouraged to choose an appropriate vocation and develop independent female awareness.

A STUDY OF THE CONCEPT OF HETEROTOPIAN SPACE IN THE DUTCH CEMETERY AT THE BOGOR BOTANICAL GARDEN

A cemetery is a land that is used as a place for burial of bodies. However, despite its obvious function, in European Christian culture which lasted for centuries, the view of the true cemetery was always changing, so that the function of the cemetery was often mixed with other completely unrelated functions of space. This phenomenon is highlighted by Foucault in his theory of heterotopia space (1967). In this regard, this study intends to look at other spaces based on the phenomena found in the Dutch Cemetery at the Bogor Botanical Garden. This cemetery is interesting to study using Foucault's heterotopia theory because of its relatively different location from the Dutch cemeteries in the Dutch East Indies at that time, which were generally located in a church environment or in an open field. Based on the results of the study, it is concluded that in the Bogor Botanical Garden cemetery, there are other spaces which are manifested in three heterotopological principles, namely: the concept of heterotopia space of crisis and deviation, changes in the function of the cemetery, and the incorporation of other unrelated spaces.

Urban planning as a game of power: The case of New South Wales (NSW), Australia

Power and domination have a considerable presence everywhere in society. Power-dynamic forces play a significant role in institutional practices, agenda-setting, decision-making and ensuring particular groups' interests. Power is also substantially evident in urban planning. Power in urban planning is exerted by various actors. Power is an opportunity for affluent residents to confront planning practices. This research explores powerful actors in urban planning through an empirical study of urban planning in the state of New South Wales (NSW), Australia. This empirical study analyses contemporary political, statutory and socio-economic influential powers in NSW's urban planning by applying Foucault's power theory. It contributes to knowledge and practice in urban studies by unveiling how political, institutional and socio-economic power influences urban planning in NSW. This research illustrates that state urban planning machinery has ultimate authoritative power in urban planning and advances the interests and aspirations of the socio-economic and political power elites.

Venereal Diseases Treatment for Merauke’s Marind (Marind-Anim) Tribe in the Dutch Colonial Period

This article provides some proofs that influenced the increasing number ofMarind-Anim people who suffering from venereal diseases. It also providesfactual efforts that had been done by the colonial government as well as Catholicmissionaries in Merauke to overcome this problem. This study applies historicalmethods with four stages: heuristics, verification (internal and external criticism),interpretation/explanation and historiography. Primary sources obtained fromNational Archives of the Republic of Indonesia i.e., Memorie van Overgave van hetBestuur over de Afdeeling Zuid Nieuw Guinea; letter of the Minister of Colonies to theGovernor General of the Dutch East Indies; Report of Assistant Resident ZuidAfdeeling Nieuw Guinea to the Director of Government; and official printed sources,e.g., Volkstelling 1930. Michel Foucault's power relations theory is used to analyzethe causes of venereal disease in the Marind Tribe. The results shows that the causeof the increasing number patients who had venereal disease in the Marind tribe,Merauke, was related to their traditional understanding which legalized free sexand deviant sexual activities in the Marind tribe. The imbalanced power relationsbetween men and their wives and between men and adolescence men causingvenereal diseases and sexual perversions in the Marind Tribe. The strategyimplemented by the colonial government was to involve Catholic missionarieswho were trusted to overcome the disease by building a housing model that canonly be occupied by nuclear families who are not infected with venereal diseases.The colonial government demolished men’s houses because there werepossibilities of homosexual intercourses which become one of the causes ofvenereal disease among the Marind Tribe. In addition, the government requiredthe cenderawasih bird hunterers to have their genital health checked as a huntingpermit. The government built hospitals and clinics and invented doctors whospecialize in venereal disease to treat the patients. These strategies has succeededin treating and eradicating venereal diseases among the Marind Tribe.